The correct person
by Isa4everSMacked
Summary: The body of Marina Garito is found in his apartment. Everything points to an obvious suicide, but Stella is convinced otherwise and will do everything possible to prove it. Throughout the case, Mac and Stella discover feelings that were not there before. Who will be the correct person? Small changes to 6x18. Made together with @lemonpie girl, on another platform
1. Chapter 1

It was 6 am on a sunny Friday when Mac arrived at the lab. He was on his way to leaving his things in his office when he went through Stella's office and noticed a dim light on. Upon entering, he saw Stella asleep on the couch surrounded by papers and photographs of an obvious crime scene. He was not surprised to see her like that at all, since he is aware of the hard work she constantly does and knows that she will not go home until she resolves the case. In that sense they were very similar. Both stubborn.

He walked quietly to avoid waking her and approached her to try to remove the papers from her and sort out the chaos there was. When he was about to turn off the light, Stella suddenly woke up, agitated, from her nightmare, giving Mac a small scare, who immediately reacted and tried to reassure her.

-Stella, calm, breathe, it was just a nightmare.- Watching how Stella recover the air and normalize her breathing, he continue- Tell me what happened, you should be at home.

-I know Mac, but last night before I left I received a call from Sid- there is some distress in her voice- they found a woman dead in her apartment, it was Marina Garito.

-Marina Garito?

-Yes, she was a young woman who looked for me a couple of years ago because of the disappearance of her younger brother, Luke Garito. He had been missing for twelve years then ...

Mac still lacked information to understand why the case was so important to her, so he dedicated one of his inquiring glances and she continued her explanation.

-I loaded Luke's DNA into the database, and gave her my card to keep in touch and give her any information about her brother. But it has been searched everywhere and we get nothing. She called me every Monday and asked me about the case, told me that she had clues, that she was making connections that she had previously missed. She was determined to find him, never stopped looking for him. On Monday she left me a message saying that she had discovered something, that she had a clue ... and I was too busy to answer her.- She finished with a lump in her throat and with glassy eyes, full of tears that threatened to leave. She felt guilty, Marina had come to her for help and she had done nothing but answer her calls.

At that moment, Mac hugged her tightly. He fully understood how she was feeling, it was not something he had not lived at some point, feeling responsible, as if you had not given all of yourself, or at least enough. When they separated, she looked for a handkerchief to dry her tears, which were already inevitable, and he began to speak.

-Stella, you cannot take responsibility for this, you did your job, you looked for him and you didn't find him. The folders with new cases keep accumulating, and you keep working. We have the head in the here and now, we work hard in each case, hours reading records, looking for witnesses, working in the laboratory. You couldn't do more.- It felt weird to say those things, since most of the time, she told them to him.

Gradually Stella began to calm down, and tears began to stop. She knew what Mac was telling her was true, but she still felt indebted to Marina.

-Thanks Mac, seriously.- Looked into his eyes really grateful, she was sure that if he hadn't been there, she would have drowned in a sea of tears, since strong people also cry.

At that time, she received a call from Sid, the autopsy results were ready. Both went to the autopsy room. Upon arriving there, they saw Marina's body on the table and Sid began to communicate their deductions.

-Marina Garito committed suicide.

-What?!- Stella exclaimed without understanding.

-Yes, look, gunshot wound in the abdomen, and gunpowder residue in the right hand. Marina was right-handed, so it is logical to find traces in that hand.

Stella was stunned, did not understand why someone so determined and with a mission to fulfill would commit suicide.

-There are no signs of fighting, or bruises that suggest one?- Mac asked to really rule out the murder.

-No, none.

-The coroner of the scene concluded that it was a suicide?

-Yes, and my analysis confirms it.

-I'm sorry Sid, but it's impossible that Marina has taken her own life.- Stella exclaimed.

-I'm sorry Stella, but there are no signs that it was homicide, or that someone had attacked her. They also found a note.- Sid explained.

-Come on Sid, you know that when suicide is sentenced, the investigation protocols are very different from when a murder is investigated, and they are not carried out with the same emphasis.- Stella said altered, angry, raising her voice.

-Well, now ... - Mac said, but Stella didn't let him finish.

-No, if there is something I am sure of is that Marina Garito did not take her own life. It was homicide.- She was furious, and left the autopsy room leaving Mac and Sid alone.

-Sorry her, she hasn't had a good night, she's tired.- Mac announced.

-Yes, I imagine, I am also disappointed. I was aware of the case, and what had happened to her brother, I am sorry I did not do more for them.- Sid said.

Without further ado, Mac withdrew from the place, and Sid decided to redo his analysis of Marina's body, since Stella really seemed very confident in what she was saying.

Arriving at his office he met Stella, she was very upset. Before he could say anything, Stella started talking to him.

-It can't be Mac, she wouldn't kill herself, she hadn't found her brother yet.

-Nothing suggests that something else happened. Maybe she abandoned his search.

-No, she was following a clue, and if she had discovered something or found him, she would have told myself.

-Stella, there is no evidence that it was homicide.- Mac insisted.

-I can't understand it, and I don't know what happened, but I'm sure it wasn't suicide.- Stella said determinedly and left. She was completely sure that Marina hadn't killed herself, now she had to try it.


	2. Chapter 2

The reaction only made it clear that Stella would put all her determination, impulsiveness and stubbornness in proving that she was right and that she would achieve it regardless of the cost. Mac had learned reluctantly a year ago that Stella would never leave a case where she was sentimentally involved, and once it was enough not to repeat the same story, and although he had to be honest and recognize that almost his whole being was convinced that Marina had committed suicide, he was also determined to help Stella get the truth, even though he still didn't know how. It was just then that he received the call from Aubrey, the woman he had met a few days ago, asking if she could go to the laboratory, since she had to talk to him.

He was heading back to his office, when he saw Aubrey talking to Adam.

-Hi, Aubrey.

-Hi.

-I have work to do.- Adam said, and left quickly.

-Your call was a surprise, let's go to my office.

-I have to admit that it was a bit selfish of me. I really wanted to see the lab. So I thought about killing two birds with one stone, and bring you this personally.- She said, extending a wooden paper bag.

-What is that?

-Last night while on duty, a woman entered the emergency room, Marina Garito, I thought they would need her clothes for that matter. Usually, someone comes looking for her, but in this case nobody showed up.

-Her death has been determined as suicide. The investigation has been closed.

-Really?- She asked with surprise.

-Looks like you have another opinion, doctor- Mac said, prompting Aubrey to tell him what he thought.

-Uh no.- She said, since the last thing she wanted was to seem nosy.

-So?

-Mac- called Stella entering the office. However, she stopped when she saw that he was not alone- I'm sorry, if I interrupted something I can come later.

-No, Stella. She is Dr. Aubrey Hunter, is here for Marina Garito.

-For Marina?- She asked surprised.

-Uh, well yes, let me mention the cadaveric spasm.

-Instant stiffness.

-Yes, what does it have to do with Marina?

-Well, you see... I just came back from Afghanistan. I was working as an Air Force doctor.

-Seriously?- Mac said surprised.

-Yes... when I served there, I occasionally noticed the tight hand of a soldier with nothing inside.

-Rigor marks the victim's last activity and is usually associated with a violent death. The soldiers stay that way because they try to hold their weapons.

-Yes.

-Well, and how do that associate with Marina?- Stella asked with too much restlessness.

-Last night, I noticed that Marina Garito's left hand was tightly clenched in the same way.

-Are you sure it was her left hand?

-Yes.

-Mac, is the first sign that Marina could have fought or resisted. And the reason why Sid didn't see it is because when he received the body, the rigor had already disappeared.- Stella mentioned enthusiastically.

-I know Stella, but this doesn't rule out suicide. The remains of gunpowder still place the weapon in Marina's right hand.

-But it gives us reasons to investigate.

-So is.

-The cadaveric spasm captures her last attempt to cling to something to save himself. And I'm sure that was what happened with Marina, the question is what. Thank you Doctor.- She said really grateful, since this would allow her to investigate the now "possible suicide" of Marina.

Stella was heading out of the office to go to investigate when Mac warned her that she will take Flack with her.

Finally, Stella and Flack had gone to the Marina department to analyze the scene. Stella was looking for a minimum proof that would allow her to prove that Marina had been murdered, but every detail observed, every point seen, made the evidence support, more and more, the theory of suicide than that of murder. Although she didn't want it to be that way, the balance leaned to that side, and time was running out.

-I don't see anything that indicates that he fought his attacker more than all this food on the floor. I don't see blood, I don't see forced locks or broken windows.- Flack announced.

-Really all this food on the floor does not suggest a fight?

-Stell, we both know that most suicide attempts fail because the victims regret after doing them, maybe that was the case of Marina. She shot herself and then she repented, so she crawled, pulling everything in her path, to reach her cell phone.- Said reasonably.

-Or ... the attacker shot her and she crawled to reach her cell phone.- She said, also reasonably.

-And how do you explain that the lock has not been forced or the pin has been broken?- Flack asked, wanting to reaffirm his theory.

-Perhaps he was known.- He looked at her in disbelief, therefore Stella continued- Come on, a hamburger with fries is not the last dinner.

-Are you kidding? They are the best there are, they are from 'Shake Shack'- he said smiling, and to try to calm her down.

-I know- she said a little rendered- there is more evidence of homicide than of suicide, but I think the object Marina held just moments before she died means something... Do you think I'm insisting too much?

-We all have a Marina Garito, Stella. John Brennan calls the station once a month, and always tells the same story of how his wife was murdered, and the man who killed her is still free around. And it breaks your heart because you have no answer for him, but what can you do? All those Mondays when you received those calls, after hanging up, what were you doing?- Flack asked a remarkably distressed Stella with a lump in her throat forming again. He continued- You were frozen, you couldn't do much more, because you're chasing the bad guys out there right now, and the evidence of the old cases gets cold, the witnesses don't remember even half of what they used to remember.

-It is true, but I can't help thinking that I could have done more to help her find her brother.

-You answered the phone every Monday, that's a lot of Stell.

-Okay, just ... let's register everything before we go, okay?

The rest of the events happened suddenly. From a department that seemed totally empty and with no hint of anything, a man abruptly came out of the closet and attacked Stella . The chase lasted minutes, but culminated in the worst of scenarios.


	3. Chapter 3

Mac hated that call, which reminded him how everything can change in a second, how close was someone to his team. And today he received Flack's call, telling him that Stella was attacked, hit in the head and almost drowned in a pool, by whom was now a possible suspect.

The trip to the hospital was not long, but enough for Mac to think about what might have happened. If Stella hadn't accepted her suggestion ... he was really glad she went with Don, and wasn't alone at that moment, he could never forgive himself if something happened to her.

Upon arriving at the hospital emergency room, he met Aubrey.

-Hi- Mac greeted with a small smile and surprised to find Aubrey once more.

-Hello, your partner presents a slight bruise from the blow, but it will be fine. I will send her a pain reliever.

-Thank you.

-I doubt that she wants to remain in emergency room, so I will do the papers for his departure, but someone should watch for nausea, vomiting, or being sleepy or confused, or any other alarm sign in the following hours.

-Very well, I will- Mac said cheerfully accepting his new tasks.

Stella saw Mac's little interaction with Aubrey and, although he hadn't told her anything about her, or when or where he had met her, and while she wasn't his girlfriend, and he wasn't obligated to tell her anything, a thought was hovering her mind. She saw in him, in his face, something extremely unusual in him. He was kind, gave her a smile, and there was something in his eyes that she had noticed even in his office when Aubrey brought Marina's clothes. It was obvious that this was not just any woman, and it even seemed that something was starting between them. It was inevitable to feel a pang of jealousy ... Did it bother her? Why?

She saw Mac approach and immediately abandoned those thoughts. Knowing what he was going to say, she hastened to speak.

-Before you mention it, I will not take a license.

-It didn't even cross my head, however, I want you to take all this with calm.

-Okay.- Accepted Stella.

There was a somewhat awkward silence, until Mac decided to break it.

-What's going on?

-Who was that woman?- Referring, clearly, to Aubrey.

-It's Dr. Aubrey Hunter, you met her in the lab.- Mac answers a little confused.

-I mean who she really is- Mac didn't understand what she meant, so Stella continued- Come on Mac, I know you, I saw how you looked at her.

-It's nothing, just... - He said a little embarrassed. Stella gave him a look. One of those who told him that it was useless to lie to her- We met on St. Patrick's Day in a restaurant, we talked very little, but then I received a letter from her saying that she had a bad day and was thinking about leave the city , but that she would stay because when talked to me she had found someone who dedicated a little gentleness and kindness to her.- He commented remarkably flattered and with a smile on his face.- After that I invited her to dinner at that same restaurant. Only that.

-Only that?- She asked in amazement.- That's quite for the great Mac Taylor.- She concluded laughing.

-Are you surprised? - Asked incredulously.

-Well, I haven't seen you invite someone since Peyton.

-These things cost me Stella, I'm not good for this, or maybe I still can't find the correct person.

Something broke in Stella. She felt many things inside right now. On the one hand he was happy because he knew how difficult it was for Mac to maintain a romantic relationship after Claire, since his relationship with Peyton did not work. He really deserved someone to love him. But on the other hand, it hurt her that he said he wasn't good for these things. He was a great man, and knowing his relationship with Claire, she knew that any woman would be lucky to be with him. She maybe. She could be the correct person.

-Stella? - Mac brought her back to reality.

-Sorry, but I disagree. Mac, you are a great man, and yes, maybe you still don't find the right person, but ... I'm happy that you try to find her in Aubrey. Give it a chance.- she said with a practically broken heart, although she still could not explain why.

-I don't know Stella, we only go out once, it's not enough to establish a relationship.

-I do know, but this time don't be so stubborn. I know you, and for one thing or another you will regret it without first giving it a chance.

-Are you now an expert in relationships?

-Expert? - Stella asks ironically- Well, if you shoot your boyfriend in your department in self-defense and be used to make a vindictive plan against your best friend is to be an expert in relationships, well yes, I am.- She concluded.

Mac noticed the irony and anguish in what she said. He knew completely that Stella suffered a lot during that time, even if she didn't show it, there was the pain present. Being on the verge of death in the hands of someone you thought you knew and trusted and loved left her with bitter scars, he knew that part of her self-confidence was lost that day. And the fact of being really used by Andy so that he could get to him in revenge for his brother's death was horrible for her. Even so, she was here, with more strength than ever, was the strongest and most resilient person he knew, and is one of the most outstanding qualities of her. Hardly other people would have them.

-Maybe we should have a date both of us- he said laughing to try to cheer her up and remove those memories from her mind.

Stella laughed and, when she was about to answer, Flack arrived.

-I'm sorry guys, do I interrupt something?

-No, everything is fine- Stella said, thanking Don silently for having prevented her from answering something she wasn't sure about.

-The man who attacked you, are you sure it was Tony Dirisa? - He asked.

-Absolutely, Marina's stepfather.

-We have issued newsletters with their description, all have been notified, airports, train and bus stations and we also monitor their work and the areas they usually frequent- announced Flack.

-In spite of everything that happened, we still don't have evidence to prove that Marina didn't kill herself- Mac said.

-I'm sure, they killed her because she found out something, the progress of the case she was referring to, she found the murderer, and he found her.

-I bet on Dirisa- Flack said with certainty.

-He was already a person of interest when Luke Garito disappeared, but there was not enough evidence to arrest him back then.

-Well, he was in that department for some reason.

-I think the answer to that is floating in a pool- Stella said.


	4. Chapter 4

The following hours involved an exhaustive work by each team member.

Stella was right, one of the key clues was in the pool. Adam searched the place and found a pillow, which the suspect had lost when fighting with her. What finally put Tony as the main suspect was an interesting finding by Lindsay, confirmed with one of his famous reconstructions. She showed that one of the pillows in the department of Marina was used as a silencer, thus discarding the theory of suicide, and Tony had taken that pillow with him. Then he had returned to the apartment for the healthy pillow he lost in the pool.

However, they could only prove that Tony had stolen the pillow, they still needed to put the gun in the suspect's was more difficult, but the observations of Sid and Sheldon on the state of the skin of the left hand of Marina in conjunction with the work of the Messer marriage, they had achieved, they had discovered that Marina held in her left hand the evidence that pointed to Tony Dirisa as his brother's killer.

Danny discovered with Flack that he planned to flee the city and they went to ruin him plans. Meanwhile, Stella stayed in her office, thinking about how things took such a quick turn. She noted that on his desk was a letter, addressed to her, from Marina. Without hesitation, she opened the envelope and began to read.

Marina told her that she finally discovered what had happened to her brother, that she could already remember everything. She explained that it was a case of repressed memories, where the brain completely erases some traumatic experience that you really want to forget and acts as if it never happened. Her stepfather had accidentally killed her brother and she had witnessed everything. Only that time later, that memory was repressed, and she began looking for her brother as if he had disappeared. She also told her that, as much as she could remember everything, she had no intention of going against her stepfather, she would forgive him and end everything. She would abandon everything.

Flack and Danny arrested Tony and took him to the station.

-It was an accident- Tony explained.

-Really? Did the pillow get between them and the gun went off by mistake? - Stella asked wryly.

-I would never hurt Marina.

-She trusted you, and you killed her.

-I don't kill her.

-Yes, you did!- She said angrily.- You realized all the clues she had found, the connections she had made, you knew she was close to the truth. But what you didn't know, what nobody knew, is that Marina had ceased her commitment to look for Luke. She was finally letting go. The email was confused with a suicide note just because she was found dead ... Listen to her words: "It's time for me to finish everything, to release me, and this is the only way I know, leaving is my only option. Tony, we are free". She knew it was you. You panicked for nothing... You killed her for nothing.

She could see how Tony cursed himself inside and tried to hide the tears. The lump in her throat formed again and she hurried out of there.

Mac was heading to leave the laboratory, at a time that would be too late for the rest of the mortals, when he saw how Stella was struggling to keep the papers, photos and evidence of the case in her office.

-Stella- called Mac. When she raised her head, he could see the tears running down her face, confirming that the case had disturbed her more than any other.

-Mac- she whispered, in an almost imperceptible tone. It was all that managed to say, she had a lump in her throat that seemed to drown her. Her heart or soul, or both, had broken in this case, she still felt guilty.

Mac approached her and hugged her again as hard as when the case had begun. Maybe more. It shattered to see her like that. Stella was not a person who would show how much the cases affected her, but this one in particular had hit her hard, had collapsed her.

Stella clung to Mac, she needed to let go of all the pain inside her, clear herself, stop feeling guilty. She felt Mac caressing her back and head, trying to calm her down and letting her know that he was there for her, that she could lean on him, that he would help her get up.

When they parted, Mac looked straight into her glassy eyes and wiped a tear from her cheek. At that moment he realized how truly important Stella was to him. Just as he is now, she has been countless times by her side, lending her valuable friendship, listening, laughing, sometimes even rebuking. Sometimes only one glance was enough to know that she was there and that she understood him. He loved this woman, would protect her from everything, even from the pain that was invading her now.

-Thanks Mac, for being here- Stella said smiling, she really felt better, him hug filled her with energy and strength.

-You kidding? You said it, "that's what we do, we take care of each other."- He said with a flash in his eyes remembering the same words she once said to him.

-Well, yeah it's true.

-I will help you with this, just give me a second- he said and took his cell phone. He sent a message to Aubrey, with whom he would have an appointment at the end of his shift, and warned him that he could not go. A few minutes later a message came from her saying that he didn't worry, that it didn't bother her.

Mac took a box and began ordering the disaster that was there with Stella. At the end she looked much more lively, she had regained her strength and her big smile shone again on her face. Without a doubt, staying with her had been the right choice. He looked into her eyes again, and gave her a smile. Maybe she was the correct person.

The End


End file.
